Jobs › Pentair

Commodity Manager Castings & Machining

Pentair · Delavan, WI · $82,300–$152,800 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 9, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a supplier whose quality or delivery was slipping. How did you turn it around or decide to move the work?

What they are checking: Whether they manage performance through data and business reviews, and know when resourcing is worth the risk.

Tell me about a productivity project you drove from idea to implementation with a supplier.

What they are checking: Whether they can deliver savings that actually land in the P&L, not just savings on paper.

How do you work with Finance to make sure your savings numbers are counted the way the business counts them?

What they are checking: Whether they report savings credibly, which affects how much trust leadership puts in procurement.

What would you do

A key foundry gives notice of a big price increase tied to metal costs. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they understand index-based pricing and can separate a fair pass-through from padding.

Engineering wants to use a new supplier for a new product launch, but that supplier has no track record with you. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they support new product development without skipping qualification steps that protect quality.

Operations, Quality and Product Management all want different things from the same supplier. How do you hold one position with that supplier?

What they are checking: Whether they align internal stakeholders before the negotiation so the supplier hears one voice.

About the work

How would you build a sourcing strategy for castings and machined components across several Pentair plants?

What they are checking: Whether they can segment spend, assess the supply base and set a direction that serves multiple sites at once.

What drives the cost of a casting, and where have you found real savings in castings or machining?

What they are checking: Whether they understand material, tooling, yield, scrap and machining time well enough to negotiate on facts.

How do you think about resiliency for castings, given long lead times and limited foundry capacity?

What they are checking: Whether they plan for dual sourcing, tooling ownership and regional risk instead of chasing only the lowest price.

What would you look at when you visit a machining supplier for the first time?

What they are checking: Whether they can judge capacity, process control and quality systems on the floor rather than from a quote.

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The full job description

As published by Pentair.

Job Description: At Pentair, you will work alongside passionate problem-solvers who are committed to the future of our planet. We put our mission into practice, helping the world sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water, life's most essential resource. From our residential water filtration to industrial water management to pool products and more, our 9,000 global employees serve customers in more than 150 countries, working to help create a better world for people and the planet through smart, sustainable water solutions. We have an opportunity for a Commodity Manager, Castings & Machining to join our Golden Valley, MN team. You will lead supplier strategy and sourcing initiatives for Castings and Machining components & Finished goods. You will be partnered with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, Planning, and Product Management to ensure reliable supply, support new product development, deliver productivity improvements, and strengthen supplier performance across multiple manufacturing locations. You will build strong supplier partnerships, identify opportunities to improve cost, quality, delivery, innovation, and resiliency, and drive projects from concept through implementation. This role reports to the Global Commodity Manager, Castings & Machining. You will: • Manage strategic supplier relationships through performance management, supplier business reviews, continuous improvement initiatives, and risk mitigation activities. • Lead RFQs, supplier selection, sourcing recommendations, commercial negotiations, contract development, and implementation of sourcing decisions. • Partner with Legal and internal stakeholders to negotiate and manage commercial agreements, long-term supply agreements, and other strategic supplier contracts. • Develop and execute category strategies that deliver productivity, inflation mitigation, supply continuity, supplier development, localization, dual sourcing, value engineering, and supplier consolidation objectives. • Build and manage multi-year productivity pipelines and validate savings in partnership with Finance to support business financial objectives. • Identify and mitigate supplier, market, and supply chain risks through proactive planning, supplier engagement, and contingency sourcing strategies. • Partner with manufacturing locations to resolve supplier- and material-related challenges and support uninterrupted production. • Support new product development by identifying suppliers, evaluating technologies, and ensuring sourcing execution from concept through production launch. • Monitor market conditions, technology trends, supplier capabilities, and cost drivers to support strategic decision-making. • Evaluate make-versus-buy outsourcing, insourcing, and total-cost-of-ownership opportunities. • Influence cross-functional stakeholders to drive business results and maintain project pipelines, supplier scorecards, and key sourcing performance metrics. • Share market intelligence, supplier insights, and best practices while supporting enterprise sourcing priorities and strategic projects. • Up to 45% domestic travel, with potential international travel as needed. Key Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. • A minimum of 5 years of strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain experience managing suppliers and processes domestically and internationally; 7 or more years preferred. • 3+ years of experience sourcing Castings, Machined components, Pump cast parts, Forgings, or related Casting and Machining commodities preferred. • Demonstrated success leading RFQs, supplier selection, commercial negotiations, contract development, and implementation of sourcing decisions. • Experience developing and managing productivity pipelines, savings validation processes, inflation mitigation plans, and multi-year sourcing project funnels. • Strong financial and analytical acumen with advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills. • Strong communication, presentation, stakeholder-management, problem-solving, and project-management skills, with the ability to influence decisions and consistently meet deadlines. • Proactive, self-directed approach with the ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively across functions and organizational levels. • Manufacturing experience and working knowledge of ERP systems; experience with SAP, QAD, and JDE preferred. Compensation: For this full-time position working at this location, the anticipated annualized base pay range will be from $82300- $152800 / year. At Pentair, it is not typical for an individual to be hired near the bottom or top of the pay range. Pentair considers various factors in determining actual compensation for this position at the expected location. Actual compensation will be commensurate with demonstrable level of experience and training, pertinent education including licensure and certifications, work location, and other relevant business or organizational needs. This position may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as, annual incentive bonus. Benefits: As a Pentair employee, you would enjoy a wide array of benefit options to help keep you and your family healthy and protected, health benefits, a generous 401(k), employee stock purchase program, disability benefits, life insurance, critical illness insurance, accident insurance, parental leave, caregiver leave, tuition reimbursement, plus paid time off and wellness programs to encourage a healthy work/life balance. Equal Opportunity Employer Pentair is an Equal Opportunity Employer. With our expanding global presence, cross-cultural insight and competence are essential for our ongoing success. We believe that a diverse workforce contributes different perspectives and creative ideas that enable us to continue to improve every day.

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